36 THE LINE. 



baiting is the one made of hard wood, which, 

 besides being light, has the great advantage 

 of allowing the line to run off freely when you 

 have a bite, which in Jack-fishing is termed 

 a run, and the rod is lying on the ground. 

 Otherwise, if you are using a brass winch, it 

 would be necessary to leave a few yards of 

 line loose on the ground, so as to allow the 

 Jack, after taking the bait, to run without 

 hindrance to the hole or haunt where he feeds. 

 Thus much for the wooden winches, which, 

 however I may dislike them for spinning, I 

 still think decidedly the best for live-baiting. 



I prefer rather a fine line for this style of 

 fishing, unless in a water where the Pike run 

 very large*, as a stout line, after soaking a 

 short time, is sure to sink and get entangled 

 with the bait, while the fine line will float for 

 a considerable time (especially if it be rubbed 

 once or twice in the course of the season with 

 strong palm oil), besides having the advantage 

 of cutting through the weeds when a Jack 

 takes a fancy to run into a bed of them for 

 the purpose of pouching the bait. The line 

 should be from fifty to eighty yards in length, 

 for although many say that they do not see 

 the use of having so long a line, yet when a 

 Jack-line is in constant use and is well soaked 

 in the water, with now and then the strain of 

 a twelve or fifteen pound Pike on it, you will 

 find it necessary to break off a yard or two 

 occasionally from the working end to keep it 



